Беседа 1

1 Thessalonians 1:1–3. Павел и Силуан и Тимофей – церкви Фессалоникской в Боге Отце и Господе Иисусе Христе: благодать вам и мир от Бога Отца нашего и Господа Иисуса Христа. Всегда благодарим Бога за всех вас, вспоминая о вас в молитвах наших, непрестанно памятуя ваше дело веры и труд любви и терпение упования на Господа нашего Иисуса Христа пред Богом и Отцем нашим . О необходимости бодрствования. – При каких условиях молитвы бывают полезными. 1. Why (the apostle), when he wrote the letter to the Ephesians 2, although he had Timothy with him, did not mention him with him, despite the fact that he was known to them and enjoyed their respect (“his faithfulness is known to you,” he says, “because he, like a son to his father, served me in the gospel” (Phil. 2:22) - and again: “For I have no one equally zealous who would be so sincere took care of you" (Phil. 2:20), and here he puts him along with himself? It seems to me because he had the intention of immediately sending him (Timothy); therefore, it was unnecessary to write on behalf of the one who was soon to receive the message itself for delivery: “So I hope,” he says, “to send him immediately” (Phil. 2:23). therefore, it was fitting for him to write: “Now,” he says, “when Timothy has come to us from you” (1 Thessalonians 3:6). But why does he put Silvanus before him (Timothy), although he himself testifies to his countless praiseworthy qualities and prefers him to everyone? Probably (Timothy), out of his deep humility, himself wanted this and asked Paul about it; when he saw in his teacher such great humility that he places a student along with himself, then all the more could he wish to manifest a similar quality in himself. Итак, говорит (апостол): «Павел и Силуан и Тимофей – церкви Фессалоникской» . Здесь он ничего не ставит пред своим именем, ни – апостол, ни – раб. He doesn’t show off his dignity, it seems to me, because they (the Thessalonians) were new catechumens and had not yet gotten to know him briefly; может быть даже, только еще начиналась проповедь его к ним. "Церкви , – говорит, – Фессалоникской» . Прекрасно сказано. Так как, вероятно, общество (солунян) было немногочисленно и еще неустроенно, то названием Церкви он утешает их. Там, где Церковь существовала давно и состав ее был значителен, он не употребляет этого слова. Между тем он дает это название (фессалоникийцам) потому, что слово Церковь обыкновенно имеет значение множества и собрания людей, уже тесно с собою united. “In God,” says, “the Father and Lord Jesus Christ.” “The Church of Thessolanica,” he says, “which is in God.” Here again is the word God before the names of the Father and the Son. “In God” he says because there were many churches, both Jewish and Hellenic. The dignity of the Church is great and incomparable, if it is “in God.” Oh, if only this Church could be so called! But I am afraid that it will not become unworthy of this name. If anyone is a slave греха, то о нем нельзя сказать что он "в Боге" . "Grace and peace to you". Do you see how the message begins with praise? “We always thank God for all of you, remembering you in our prayers.” By giving thanks to God for them (the apostle) testifies to their great prosperity, when he not only praises them, but also thanks God as the perfecter of all their prosperity. But at the same time, he teaches them humility, as if saying that all this is the work of God’s power. So, he speaks of giving thanks because of their good deeds, and of remembering them in prayer because of his love for them. Then, wanting to show that he remembers them not only in prayers, but also besides prayer, he says, like in many other places: “continually remembering your work of faith and labor of love and patience of trust in our Lord Jesus Christ before our God and Father.” What does “constantly remembering” mean? Either what is remembered before God and the Father, or - remembering the labor of love that exists before God and our Father. He didn’t just say: “constantly remembering the work of faith,” but “yours.” And again, so that you don’t think that this very thing: “yours” is said without purpose, he added - “before God and our Father.” Since none of the people glorified their exploits, no one gave them rewards, he added this, as if saying: be brave - you strive before God. What is a “work of faith”? This means: nothing has shaken your constancy. This is what faith is all about! Если веруешь, все терпи; and if you don’t endure, then you don’t believe. Are not the promises (given to us) such that they can incline the believer to suffer a thousand deaths? We are promised the kingdom of heaven, immortality, eternal life. So, whoever believes will endure everything, because faith is shown by works. That is why the apostle rightly said this, wanting to express: you not only showed faith, but justified it by deeds, constancy, and zeal. «И труд любви» . Что за труд кое-как любить? There is none. But to love in its own sense is great work. In fact, when countless temptations arise to distract us from love, meanwhile we firmly resist everything - isn’t this work, tell me? And what did (the Thessalonians) not tolerate, so as not to change their love? Did not the enemies begin to preach to him who had received Paul into his house, and, not finding (the apostle), did they not drag Jason himself to the city leaders (Acts 17:5-6)? Is it a small task, tell me, to endure such a storm, such temptations, when the seeds of preaching have not yet had time to take root? And they demanded his identification. And when, they say, the certificate was given, he sent Paul away (Acts 17:9). Is this a small feat, tell me? Did he not even expose himself to danger for him (the apostle)? This is what (the apostle) calls a labor of love—to such an extent did the devotion (to him of the Thessalonians) extend. 2. Note that first he speaks about their exploits, and then about his own, so that it does not seem that he is arrogant and that he did not love them before discovering their love. “And patience,” he says, because the mentioned persecution was not one-time, but continuous, and the persecutors were at enmity not only against the teacher, Paul, but also against those being taught. If they were so hostile to those who worked miracles, to people who inspired awe, then how do you think they looked at those who lived with them, belonged to their society and suddenly then separated from them. This is precisely what (the apostle) points to when he says: “they became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus, which are in Judea” (1 Thessalonians 2:14). And “their trust,” he continues, “is in our Lord Jesus Christ, before our God and Father.” He rightly said this. All this came from faith and hope, so that what happened expressed not only their courage, but also the fact that they believed with full conviction in the promised rewards. And God immediately allowed them to be persecuted so that no one would say that the preaching of Christ was established by chance, or through deception, so that the warmth of their faith would be revealed, and it would be clear that it was not human conviction, but the power of God that gave such strength to the souls of believers that they were ready to endure even a thousand deaths; and this could not have happened if the sermon had not soon taken deep roots and become unshakable. “Knowing your election, brethren beloved of God; because our gospel to you was not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit, and with much evidence, as you yourselves know, what we were like for you among you” (1 Thess. 1:4-5). What does he say: “You know what we were like for you among you.” Here he touches on his own exploits, but secretly; Mainly he wants to praise them. The meaning of his words is this: we know that you belong to the number of the noble and great, to the number of the chosen ones; That’s why we endure everything for your sake; the words: “what we were for you” mean that with great zeal and great courage we were ready to lay down our souls for you, and yet for this the gratitude is not to us, but to you; because you are the chosen ones. That is why he says in another place: “Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect” (2 Tim. 2:10). Truly, for the sake of God’s beloved, what would anyone not agree to endure? And, mentioning himself, he says something like this: if you are both beloved and chosen, then we must endure everything. Thus, not only praise served as encouragement for them, but also a reminder that they themselves (the apostles) showed courage corresponding to their zeal. Then he says: “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, receiving the word through much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit” 1 Thessalonians 1:6). Look, what praise! Students suddenly became teachers. They not only heeded the teaching, but also reached the same height as Paul. But this is nothing compared to what follows. In fact, look where he leads them, saying: “They became imitators of the Lord. How? Having received the word through much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit.” Not just with sorrows, but with many. And this can be seen in the Acts of the Apostles - what persecution was raised against them. They alarmed, it says there, all the city governors, and the whole city was stirred up against them (Acts 17:8). It was not enough to say: you grieved and in the midst of adversity you did not cease to believe; but you believed with great joy. The apostles did the same: “rejoicing,” it is said about them, “that they were deemed worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 5:41). This is precisely what is surprising. If even that is not enough to endure sorrows somehow, then to endure them with joy is characteristic of those who are above human nature, who have a body that seems to be impassive. How did they become “imitators of the Lord”? The fact that He himself endured great suffering and did not indulge in sorrow, but rejoiced. This is why He came voluntarily, this is why He spent Himself for us, in order to endure spitting, strangling and crucifixion; and enduring all this, he rejoiced so much that he said to his Father: “Glorify Me” (John 17:5). “With joy,” he says, “of the Holy Spirit.” So that no one says: how do you talk about sorrow and joy at the same time - how can both be together? - he added: “with the joy of the Holy Spirit.” Sorrow in them is as in physical, and joy as in spiritual. How is this possible? Circumstances are sorrowful, but what they produce is not so, because the Spirit does not allow it. That is why one cannot rejoice in the midst of suffering, when one suffers for sins, but one can also rejoice in the midst of scourging, when one suffers for Christ. 3. Such is the joy of the Spirit! Instead of apparent sorrow, the Spirit of God produces joy. You, he says, were upset and persecuted; but the Spirit did not leave you even then, and just as the three youths were watered in the fire, so you are in sorrow. But just as there the irrigation was not the action of the nature of fire, but of the cooling Spirit, so here it is not the nature of sorrow that produces joy, but suffering for Christ and the Spirit, watering and through the furnace of temptation leading to coolness and peace. He doesn’t just say: “with joy,” but: “with great joy,” since this is precisely what the words “Holy Spirit” mean. “So you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia” (1 Thess. 1:7). Although he came to preach to them later than to others, he says: you shone so brightly that you became teachers of those who accepted the faith before you. And this is apostolic dignity. In fact, he did not say: so you became a model for those who believed, but you became a model for those who already believe, that is, you, having entered into the struggle from the very beginning, taught by this how one should believe in God. “And in Achaia,” he says, that is, in Hellas. Do you see how much diligence means? With diligence, there is no need for time, delay, or delay; All you have to do is get down to business, and everything will be carried out. That is why they, having accepted the sermon after others, became teachers of those who accepted it first. So, let no one despair, even though he spent a lot of time and did nothing. And in a short time he has the opportunity to do as much as he would not have done in his entire previous life. If the one who did not believe before shone so brightly at the very beginning, then much more (can they achieve this) those who have already believed. However, keeping this in mind - that in a short time everything can be rewarded - let no one remain careless. The future is unknown, and the day of the Lord, like a thief, will suddenly overtake us while we sleep. If we do not sleep, then he will not catch us like a thief, and will not present us (to the court) unprepared. If we stay awake and sober, he will come to us not as a thief, but as a royal messenger, calling us to the good things prepared for us. If we sleep, he will appear like a thief. So, let no one sleep, let no one be lazy in virtue; and this is a dream. Don’t you know how unsafe our property is when we sleep - how easy it is then to make attempts on it? When we are awake, then we do not need special precautions. On the contrary, when we sleep, even with all the precautions we often die. There are doors, and locks, and guards, and guards; Meanwhile, the thief manages to enter. But why am I saying this? Moreover, if we are awake, we will not need the help of others, and if we are asleep, then the help of others will not bring us any benefit, but even with it we can die. It is good to trust in the prayer of the saints, but only when we ourselves are working. Why do I need, someone will say, the prayer of others, when I myself will be active and thus will not bring myself to the point of needing it? And I don't wish that for you; but if we judge sensibly, then we always experience this need. Paul did not say: What need do I have of the prayer of others? Although those who prayed for him were not more worthy than him, and were not even equal to him; and you say: what need do I have of the prayer of others? Peter did not say: What need do I have for prayer? – prayer, it is said, “the church diligently prayed to God for him” (Acts 12:5); and you say: why do I need the prayer of others? Then you need something that you consider unnecessary for yourself. Even if you were equal to Paul, you have a need for prayer. Do not exalt yourself, lest you humble yourself. But, as I already said, only then do prayers for us benefit us when we ourselves work. Listen to what Paul has to say. “For I know,” he says, “that this will serve me for salvation through your prayer and the assistance of the Spirit of Jesus Christ” (Phil. 1:19), - and again: “with the assistance of your prayer for us, so that for what has been given to us, through the intercession of many, many may give thanks for us” (2 Cor. 1:11). And you say: what need do I have for prayer? Of course, if we ourselves are careless, no one will be able to help us with their prayers. What benefit did Jeremiah bring to the Jews? Didn’t he approach God three times and hear: “Do not offer prayers and petitions for them, and do not intercede with me, for I will not hear you” (Jer. 7:16)? What benefit did Samuel bring to Saul? he: “And I will also not allow myself to sin before the Lord so as to stop praying for you” (1 Samuel 12:23) And aren’t they all lost? So, they will say, prayers do not bring any benefit? They bring it, and a big one, but - when we do something; the prayers (of others) assist and help, but someone can only assist and help someone who is already acting; If you yourself remain inactive, you will not receive much benefit. 4. Indeed, if the prayers (of others), with inaction on our part, had the power to lead us into the kingdom, then why are not all Greeks Christians? Are we not praying for the whole world? Didn't Paul do the same? Don't we pray that everyone will turn to salvation? Why, tell me, do not the wicked become pious? Is it not because they obviously don’t want to contribute anything from their side? So, the prayers (of others) bring great benefit when we ourselves bring to them what is required of us. Do you want to know how useful prayers were? Remember Cornelius (Acts 10:4), Tabitha (Acts 9:36). Listen also to what Jacob said to Laban: “If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the fear of Isaac had not been with me, you would now have sent me away empty-handed” (Gen. 31:42). Listen also to what God Himself says: “I will guard this city to save it for My own sake and for the sake of David My servant” (2 Kings 19:34). But when is this? Under Hezekiah, who was righteous. Meanwhile, if prayers had power for the great wicked, then why, during the invasion of Nebuchadnezzar, did God not say the same, but betray the city? Because then wickedness increased more. Again, the same Samuel prayed for the Israelites, and had success. But when? When they themselves were pleasing to God, then God drove out their enemies. What need do I have, someone will say, in the prayer of another when I live a life pleasing to God? Never say that, man! There is a need, and a need for many prayers. Listen to what God says about Job's friends. He “will pray,” he says, “for you,” and your sin will be forgiven (Job 42:8), because, although they sinned, their sin was not great. And this same righteous man, who then saved his friends by prayer, during the kingdom of Judah could not save the Jews from destruction. And so that you can understand this, listen to what God says through the prophet: “And if these three men had been found in her: Noah, Daniel and Job, they would not have saved either sons or daughters” (Ezek. 14:14-18), because wickedness prevailed. And again: “at least Moses and Samuel appeared before Me” (Jer. 15:1). And notice how this is said to two prophets, because both of them interceded for the Jews, but were not successful. Since Ezekiel said: “Oh, Lord God! wilt thou destroy all the remnant of Israel?” (Eze. 9:8), then God, making it known that he is doing this righteously, and not through negligence towards Him does not accept his intercession for them, points out to him their sins, as if saying: and these sins can sufficiently assure you that it is not through negligence towards you that I do not accept your intercession, but because of the multitude of their sins - with all this he adds these words: “and if these three men were found in her: Noah, Daniel and Job." And it was especially necessary to say these words to him, because he himself suffered a lot for the Israelites. You told me, Lord, he says, that I should eat in unclean things, and I did; You told me, and I shaved; You told me and I lay on one side; You told me to go through the hole in the wall with my burden, and I went through; You took my wife from me and forbade me to cry, and I did not cry, but endured it complacently. I have made thousands and other self-sacrifices for their sake, and now I beg You for them, but You do not heed! So, God, showing that he is not doing this out of negligence towards him, says: even if there was Noah, even Job, even Daniel, and they began to beg for sons and daughters, I will not listen. And again, what should God say to Jeremiah, who suffered less as a result of the commandments of God, but much more from the wickedness of the Jews? “Do you not see what they are doing” (Jer. 7:17)? It is true, says the prophet, they create; but do it for me. To this God said to him: “At least Moses and Samuel appeared before Me.” Moses is the first lawgiver, who delivered them from danger many times, saying: “Forgive them their sin, and if not, then blot me out from Your book, in which You wrote.” (Ex. 32:32), - even if he were now and said this, he would not have had time, just like Samuel, who also delivered them and from a very young age earned great respect from them. About the first I said that I talked with him as with each other, and not in parables, but about the last, that in his adolescence I appeared to him and, bowing to his request, opened the contained gift of prophecy: “The word of the Lord,” it is said, “was rare in those days, visions [were] not frequent” (1 Samuel 3:1). So, if both of them had appeared, they would have had no success. In the same way it is said about Noah: “Noah was a righteous man and blameless in his generation” (Gen. 6:9), and about Job that he “was a blameless man, just and fearing God and shunned evil” (Job 1:1). But if they had appeared, and Daniel, whom the Chaldeans even revered as God, they could not, says God, deliver their sons and daughters. So, knowing this, let us neither neglect the prayers of the saints nor rely entirely on them. Let us observe the latter in order not to become lazy and spend our lives in idleness, and the former in order not to lose great benefit. On the contrary, we will ask them to pray for us and help us, and ourselves to remain in virtue in order to be able to achieve the blessings promised to those who love God, the grace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father with the Holy Spirit be glory, power, honor, now and ever, and to the ages of ages. Amen. These conversations were delivered by the saint in Constantinople in 399. It should have been said to the Philippians, judging by the passages given below from the Epistle to the Philippians. Meanwhile, in the Epistle to the Philippians the name of Timothy is placed along with the name of the Apostle Paul, but in the Epistle to the Ephesians this is really not the case. This could have happened because the saint, citing texts from the Epistle to the Philippians as a keepsake, considered them to belong to the Epistle to the Ephesians. You might be interested in: